Recent pics

Driver training

Gas Mask Training

My Master Driver Trainer

Mend the Sails

This has been my hardest week yet.  My stress level the last two weeks has gone from near zero to pretty high last night at 2 a.m. when I couldn't sleep.  Ignorant bliss has finally turned into a much greater awareness of what I should be doing but am not, and a higher admin load, and more duties at chapel, and a request from my Battalion Commander, and a wedding request, and pre-marriage counseling...  It is all good, but I'm having to remind myself of the need to prioritize, say no, and be unable to please everyone.  I feel in a much better position to do that now than ever, though it is a challenge.

Seasons of refreshment must end, but that is not a bad thing.  It is an opportunity to exercise faith, grow in grace, and minister in his strength.  Rutherford says, "Expect storms.  And when it is calm, mend the sails.  God, strengthen us also during the calm for the fights ahead.

Today's Bible study was particularly encouraging.  For me personally--on the topic of stress, and to hear a Soldier walk out saying, "I can't believe I have been missing this."  God, thank you that it is only your Word that can elicit such a response.

Training and Counseling

These days it seems I'm only in classroom training, counseling, or at my desk doing admin.  I thank God for the chance to go to my denomination's chaplain training in Houston recently for encouragement, ideas, teaching, prayer, worship, and rest.  Then I went straight into training for Chaplains on how to conduct marriage and single Soldier retreats.  I spent a good deal of time dealing with, counseling, and sharing with an addict both in and out of the hospital. God, may this person's residential treatment be effective, most of all may her faith expressed take root by your Holy Spirit, and may you miraculously free her of her addictions.

Then I had the privilege of going to an amputee's home, listening to him, seeking to give him hope.  God, give him strength, courage and hope as he is fitted for a new prosthesis.  Give him friends, encouragement, and the drive to keep fighting.

My command team appreciates me, but if I were inspected administratively today, I would fail miserably.  God, help me to balance planning an administration with ministry of presence and counseling.  Make my office work effective and efficient; that I would work hard to the glory of God, even with files, computer and army documents.  

Coming back to the first leg

John writes in 3rd John, " I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul."  I attended a Bible study recently on 3rd John--that is rare in itself, and I was convicted by this verse.  As I have tired of superficial prayer meetings where only circumstances and health have been prayed for, I have begun to emphasize two other aspects that should fill our prayers and prayer requests.  One is prayer for our heart--that is, our emotions, our fears, our temptations, our struggles.  The other is prayer for our world--politics in the mid-east, the persecuted church in China, missionary work in Cambodia, poverty in India.  Together with prayers for our circumstances (health, travel, jobs), these are three legs of a stool, without which it would be imbalanced.

Thank you, God, that while you are concerned about these other two categories of prayer, that does not mean you are not deeply concerned with our circumstances.  Forgive my stoicism when I don't ask for prayer for a long road march.  Forgive my self-righteousness when I over-spiritualize my counseling and field-services, and I subconsciously assume you don't care nearly as much about friends for my kids, or the strength of my back, or what Craig does for school in the fall.

I pray for Soldiers that feel stuck, their family members who have lost hope, abusive marriages, troubled teens; and also for Benjamin and Jaynie's colds, sniffles, and congestion.  Thank you that you are such a God that you care about matters great and small!

Being a Veteran

I've been in my unit now for six months, plus training last fall makes nine. In three months I'll be promoted to Captain--automatic, not on account of my stellar performance.  It is amazing how much movement goes on in the Army.  I am on the in-processing list for new Soldiers coming in and have a chance to talk to them for 10 minutes.  As a result, I have a small connection with them when I see them out and about.  Now I'm no longer the new guy; I may have been here longer than 25% of the unit. 

No matter how long we, or others have been in our positions, no matter how old, no matter how senior, we are all "placeholders," as one friend said, all holding a position or age, or authority temporarily, to move on to whatever is next.  One senior Chaplain said, concerning this idea recently, "My next promotion is retirement."  Meaning, 'I'm a Colonel now, very important in many people's eyes, but soon, I'll be completely irrelevant from the Army's perspective.'  What am I living for, and who am I fearing?  Am I living for this world, its accolades and fame, or for eternity?  And am I fearing man and worshipping his approval, or am I fearing God, thus seeing man as a mere placeholder?

 

Ministry of Presence

This morning my Soldiers are out in the field and parking lot getting refreshers on weapons, vehicle, and generator maintenance.  It is hot, I'm sweating, and I'm sleepy from a short night of sleep.  I'm thinking, "I don't have to be out here, I think I'll head inside to my office."  Just then a Soldier walks up and says, "Chaplain, it means so much that you are out here with us, you are alot more engaged than our last Chaplain." 

That led to a one hour conversation of his troubled upbringing, his faith in Christ, his mis-trust in the church, the desire to raise his little girl in the faith, and an invitation to join me at All American Chapel. 

Last week while walking around, being present, a Soldier stopped me and told me he is getting married in a couple weeks, and he is nervous.  Did I have any advice for him.  This led to an invitation extended and accepted for them to come over to our house for pre-marriage counseling, after they are married.  That is the way it works sometimes.  They are both professing Christians, I think they have a good chance at a good marriage, but they are separated by distance, and haven't worked through some important topics yet. 

Today I led a traumatic incident debrief for four Soldiers who responded to a fatality over the weekend.  Last Friday I led a seminar for single Soldiers on Spiritual Fitness (getting them to think about what they believe, and how that affects their lives), and how to pursue healthy romantic relationships.  Tomorrow I will go out to pray for Soldiers preparing to jump--all the more important due to the jump-related fatality recently.

I continue to love Chaplaincy, and pray that God will continue to grant opportunities to be an explicitly Christian Chaplain.